AN outline application to build more than 100 energy-efficient homes on the edge of the New Forest has been approved.
Bargate Homes has been given the go-ahead to develop a 15.8-acre site south of Milford Road, Pennington - subject to a raft of conditions.
A more detailed application will also have to be approved by New Forest District Council (NFDC) before work can start.
A council report said the scheme would meet social objectives by creating a safe, vibrant and healthy new community.
Lymington and Pennington Town Council had urged NFDC to reject the application.
Members said they supported the scheme in principle but raised concerns over the proposed access off the A337, saying it was near the turning to the Efford Waste and Recycling Centre.
Bargate is planning to build 110 homes, 50 per cent of which will be used by Vivid to provide affordable housing.
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Bargate's managing director, Mark White, said: "We are very pleased to have secured outline planning permission for this prime site in the sought-after village of Pennington.
"Over the past 17 years, we have been privileged to deliver a number of exemplary schemes within this coastal stretch of Hampshire.
"The New Forest is an area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, but plenty of amenities are located nearby in New Milton and Lymington, so energy-efficient homes in this location will appeal to a cross-section of people."
A Bargate spokesperson said the low-density, mixed-tenure scheme would complement the architectural topography of the area.
They added: "The development layout has been carefully considered to ensure it is not car-dominated, by offering a range of parking solutions throughout the site."
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The proposal has sparked a mixed reaction online.
One person posted: "This development will negatively impact anyone who lives and drives in Lymington. The proposed road layout is insane and dangerous and was refused by the town council."
But another social media user added: "Fantastic news. About time we had some affordable housing in Lymington."
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